Monday’s regional sports briefs

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - University of North Dakota men’s hockey coach Brad Berry says it’s “humbling” to lead the team to the NCAA Frozen Four in his first season at the helm.

UND won the Midwest Regional over the weekend by beating Northeastern and Michigan to advance to its third straight Frozen Four and eighth in 12 years.

UND will seek its eighth national championship at the Frozen Four in Tampa, Florida. The Fighting Hawks play Denver on April 7, and if they win either Quinnipiac or Boston College in the title game April 9.

UND hasn’t won a national championship since 2000. The team lost in the national semifinals last year.

Berry took over as head coach this season for Dave Hakstol, who left to become head coach of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers.

Bobcats capture two conference wins

The Montana State women’s tennis team picked up a pair of road Big Sky Conference matches over the weekend, downing Southern Utah 5-2 on Thursday and topping Idaho State 4-3 on Sunday.

MSU suffered a conference loss to Weber State on Friday before dropping a non-league contest to Utah State on Saturday.

The Bobcats ripped off four straight singles wins after dropping the doubles point against Idaho State, with Naomi Holopainen, Jessica Brycki, Laura Middel and Angelina Phillippova grabbing victories.

“Defeating Idaho State was huge for the team,” said MSU first-year head coach Jon Reeves. “The girls experienced exactly what Mary Jayne and I have been expecting from them as a complete team. They were prepared to compete. They fought for every point. They were positive and energetic. They cheered for their teammates like crazy and it was a very large step and commitment made.”

MSU swept the doubles portion in the win over Southern Utah and picked up all but two singles contests in the 5-2 victory.

Montana State plays host to Boise State on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.

Olea earns Player of the Week for UM softball

University of Montana third baseman Bethany was named the Big Sky Player of the Week on Monday becoming the first player in program history to receive the award.

UM picked up softball in the 2014-15 season.

“We are extremely happy for Bethany for being the first Griz to be named Big Sky Player of the Week in the program’s history,” Griz head coach Jamie Pinkerton said.

The junior batted .556 with five hits on top of drawing four walks as UM swept a three-game series over Northern Colorado.

Olea leads the conference in on-base percentage and is third in batting average on the season.